Method of and apparatus for defining characters on impression receiving material



Apnl 6, 1954 w. E. JOHNSON ET AL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS on IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 $9 42 .2 l a r 49 1 i 42 fF /G.3.

Inventors Wi/l/am [T dob/1.9011 fl/exana er J. flu/7m Attorney Aprll1954 w. E. JOHNSON ET AL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS 0N IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney April 6, 1954 w.E. JOHNSON ETAL 2,674,652

| METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS ON IMPRESSIONRECEIVING MATERIAL Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 WWWwwwwwwmww HI]fl' HE E Inventors Attorne y April 6, 5 w. E. JOHNSON ET AL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS ON IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL. Filed July 10, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIHI] @a@ I I Illll BlipInventors W////am (/0/"750/1 fl/exander 4/ Mzmm A ltorney April 1954 w.E. JOHNSON ET AL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS 0N IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL Filed July 10, 1951 a Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventors [Ml/4am(/0/7/760/7 Attorney April 6, 1954 w. E. JOHNSON ETAL 2,574,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS ON IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 10 1951 Attorney April 6, 1954 w.E. JOHNSON ETAL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS ON IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL Filed July 10, 1951 .8 Sheets-Sheet 7 A tiprney.

April 1954 w. E. JOHNSON ET AL 2,674,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING CHARACTERS ON IMPRESSION RECEIVINGMATERIAL Filed July 10 1951 a Sheets-Sheet a Inventors nf/l/am f.Jofinson Alexander J Mauro Attorney Patented Apr. 6, 1954 METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR DEFIN- ING CHARACTERS rON IMPRESSION RE- CEIVING MATERIALWilliam Edward Johnson, Streatham, London, and Alexander John Munro,South Norwood, London, England, assignors to Powers-Samas- AccountingMachines Limited,,London, England, a. British company Application July10, 1951, Serial N 0. 236,048

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 14, 1950 17 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus fordefining characters on impression receiving material.

. It is a main object of the invention to provide a method of andapparatus for automatically effecting the defining of characters onimpression receiving material, e. g. paper, at a relatively high speed,and in carrying the invention into effect one or more styluses is or areemployed. By a "relatively high speed is to be understood the capacityof a stylus,.or of each stylus, to define characters at a rate of 150 ormore characters per minute.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of defining onimpression receiving material, e. g. paper, characters each having amaximum height and a maximum width, consisting of the steps of movingimpression receiving material in one direction at a linear speed whichdetermines one maximum dimension ofa character, reciprocating themarking end only of a stylus in a .direction normal to the direction ofmovement of the impression receiving material and in a path whichdetermines the other maximum dimension of. the character, and applyingimpulses to the stylus during reciprocation thereof thereby to efiectaxial movement of the stylus causing it to make a character definingmark on the impression receiving material.

In one method according to the invention a transfer media for example acarbon ribbon or the like, is interposed between the stylus and theimpression receiving material, whereby the character defined by thestylus is transferred from the transfer media to the impressionreceiving material.

The invention also contemplates apparatus for carrying said method intoeffect.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodimentthereof will nowbe described, by way of example, with reference to theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings, in

which Figs. 1A, 1B, and together illustrate a broken side elevation of arecord card controlled 2 machine for printin data sensed from perforatedrecord cards,

Figs. 2A, 2B, and 20 together are a plan of Figs. 1A, 1B, and 1C.

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective illustrating the operation of a printingstylus,

Fig. 4 illustrates, partly in section, a stylus and actuating means foreffecting axial movements of the stylus towards a platen,

Fig. 5, to an enlarged scale, illustrates the marking end of a stylus.

Fig. 6 illustrates a character determining disc for the letter A,"

Fig. 7 graphically illustrates the manner in which, under control of thedisc shown in Fig. 6,

a stylus defines the letter A on impression receiving material, I

Fig. 8 shows, to an enlarged scale, a part of a record card sensinapparatus illustrated in Fig. 1C, and

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram illustrating, for one card column only, themanner in which character selection is effected.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the variousfigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the machine diagrammatically illustratedtherein embodies a plurality of styluses each of which consists of aneedle-like elementin the form of a thin steel rod ll having a pointedmarking end. The end of the rod, however, is not a sharp point but is aflattened point of small diameter as indicated at l2, Fig. 5. Ifdesired, however, the end may be rounded. The styluses are slidablymounted in guides 13, Fig. 1A and 2A, secured to the bed I4 in areciprocating member comprising a bar or plate It guided for lengthwisemovement in fixed guides I9, 20, Figs. 1A and A. The reciprocatingmember I8 is connected by an eccentric strap 2|, Fig. 2A, and aneccentric 22 to a shaft 23 driven by a pulley 2'3 and belt 25, Figs. 13and 2B, and an electric motor, not shown, and the eccentric throw issuch that the amplitude of reciprocation imparted to the marking end ofeach stylus by the member [8 is equal to the maximum width of acharacter to be defined thereby as illustrated in Fig. 7. In Figs. 1Aand 2A there is shown a printing head comprising twenty-five stylusesII, the styluses being arranged in the head in five rows each containingfive styluses only one such row being shown in Fig. 2A. The

styluses are so disposed in" the head-that their marking ends will allimpinge against the centre of the platen as shown in Fig. 1A.

A plurality, for example thirty-nine, of char- 28, 3c of which gear 29is secured to the sha'ft'23.

Around the periphery of each character detel-mining disc 26 are disposeda. plurality-of electrical contacts, and in Fig. 6 for the character Athese are shown as 26a26cc. For each disc 26 a pair of electricalbrushes 32 is disposed so as toengage the-peripheries ofthe characterdetermining discs and successively to engage thecontacts on rotation ofthe discs. As can be seen from Fig. 6, the contacts are so spaced aroundthe periphery of a'disc that at predetermined intervals electriccircuits are "completed bytheengagement of the brushes with the contactssothatelectrical impulses are imparted toactuating means 33, Figs. 1A,2A, "and 4, for effecting axial movement of the styluses ll towards the"platen" IS. The actuatlng'- means"33 are supported -in ahead 34 securedto the bed l4 and, as illustratedin Fig. -4, each"'actu'ating meanscomprises a casing 35 housing a polepiece 3B and a permanent magnet'3'I.-*-A former 38 slidably mounted on theouter end of the permanentmagnetii'i; is located in the air gap of the-permanent magnet assembly,and has-a coil- 39 wound-therearound; thecoil 39 being connected bywires 40 to one"of-t-he brushes"'32of each of the discs 26. Each-stylusll"is*secur'ed to -its former'38' for axial movement therewith, asillustrated in "Figwlpso that the stylus is reciprocatedaxially towardsthe platen" l5'--at intervals under the control of-a character definingdisc-26' and is thereby caused to'define a character by formingapatternof smau dots, and--in some instances of linesyon impressionreceiving material which, in-the manner described-below,- is movedbetween the mark- 'ingend I 2 ofthestylus and the platen.

*As illustrated in the drawings, theimpression receiving material'comprisesa web of paper 4|, Figs-1A and 3, fed by known paper'feedingmechanism, not shown, in a manner such that it is moved at aconstant'linear speed between the marking-end I2 of the stylus and the'platen' lS o-determin'e the height of the character defined y thestylus. Together with the paper web4l here issimultaneouslyded atransier medium '-in the form of a carbon ribbon 42 orthe like and whenthe'stylus ll receives an impulse *which moves itaxially, it is impingedagainst the marking ribbon-so that a small dot-or line,-according to thedurationofthe impulse as determined by the contacts on a disc 26, isimpressed on the paper by transfer from the transfer medium. It is to beunderstood that the axial movement of the stylus is very short and thestylus returns to its starting position by rebounding.

Figs. 6 and 7 respectively illustrate a character determining disc 26 tocontrol the actuating means 33, Figs. 1A, 2A and 4, for a stylus to formthe letter A and the manner in which, under control of the disc, theletter A is formed by the stylus. In Fig. 7 the two vertical linesindicate the endpositionsof the strokeof the point "[2 of a stylus discto the reciprocation thereof by the plate It and the sloping linesindicate the approximate path traced in space by the point I2 relativeto the paper web 4| due to the movementthereof at a constant linearspeed as aforesaid. Ascan be seen from Fig. 7, the end positionsof thepoint 12 are so selected that for one revolution of a disc 26 twenty-twopaths are traced in space by the point relative to the paper web. Ofthese twenty-two paths sixteen are employed for the formation of acharacter and the remaining six are blank and represent the intervalduring which, in the machine being described, a card is sensed anddecoding is effected of data sensed from the card.

' The electrical contacts 2ta-26cc are so disposed around the peripheryof the disc 26 that at intervals and for periods determined thereby thecoil 39 is energised-andcauses the point 12 to impingeagainst themarkingribbons so that, according to the length of acontact, a dot ora lineismarked on the paperweb ll. -In Figs.

. G and 7 the reference numerals 26a-26Ccindicate the contacts and thedotsor lines'marked as a result thereof, the contacts26pr resulting.in-the marking of a line. It will, of course,-be readily understood-that,-in known manner, the paper feeding. means is provided withsuitable adjusting means-sothat by varying the linear speed of the-.paper the height of the character tobe defined may be varied.

the-foregoing there has been describedthe -m'anner in' which anlindividual u character is formed by a stylus l l,.it will, however, beunderstoodthat by the provision of suitable character determining discs:26 each stylus: may v:be selectively controlled to form any one of anumber ofrpredetermined characters. For purposes of illustration it'isassumed thatprintingwis to be effected as the direct result of sensingperforated statistical: record cards andrthat each istylusis capable offorming, under controlof the setiof 'discs 26, any one of thirtyeninecharacters'consistingpaswshown .in Fig. 9, off-the twenty-six letters.of the alphabet, the numerals 1 to 9,and four selected charactersconsisting of an ampersand, a plus sign, a minus sign, and azero. Tothis end, in known I manner, data other than. that representative of thenumerals l=to 9 is punched-in a card according to atwo hole code and'for the purpose of illustration itis assumed that cards are to be usedin which there are twelve'datapositions'for each vertical columni'of acard, representative of the numbers 1*to Thus \in any card column aholeipunched alone in any of the datapositionsNos. l to 9*hascitsnormal-identity butwhen a hole is punched in one of these positions incombinationwitlr a hole:in either the No. '10, No. 11, or theNo. 12position the two holesrepresent apredetermin'ed character. This isillustrated in Fig. gswhich shows f or one column only; selecting Pmeans f or dccoding data' sensed from a single card column andselecting, for that column, the stylus to be operated. It will, however,be understood that like circuits are provided for each of the other cardcolumns from which data sensed is to be printed by apparatus asdescribed above. The columnar connections will, however, be explained ingreater detail below.

Referring to Figs. 1C, 20', and 8, perforated record cards are placed ina magazine 43 from which they are fed one at a time in known manner by apicker 43a, into a sensing chamber formed by a perforated top plate 44and a bottom plate 45 formed from insulating material and provided withinserts 46, Fig. 8, of conducting material disposed in alignment withthe perforations 41 in the plate 44. A stop 48, operated in knownmanner, locates a card in position for sensing within the sensingchamber and sensing is efiected by a sensing head 49 supporting sensingpins 50 guided for axial movement by guide plates I, 52 against theaction of springs 53.

The sensing head 49 is disposed above the sensing chamber and isreciprocated towards and away from the chamber by eccentrics 54 andeccentric straps 55. The eccentrics 54 are rotatable with a cross shaft56 driven by a chain 51 from the shaft 21. Also rotatable with the crossshaft 56 is a further eccentric 58 operating an eccentric strap 59which, in known manner, actuates the picker 43a, for the magazine 43.When sensing has been effected the card is de livered in known mannerinto a receiver 69.

When the sensing head 49 is lowered those sensing pins 56 which arealigned'with perforations in the card pass through the card and engageinserts 46 thus via leads 6I completing electrical circuits to theselecting means comprising relays 62 of which there is one for each carddata position as indicated, for one column only, by the references RI/5,R2/5 RI2/2, Fig. 9, the numeral following the oblique stroke indicating,as is customary, the number of contacts on the relay. In Fig. 9, also asis customary, the order of connection of the contacts for the column isindicated by reference to the particular relay followed by the number ofthe contact on the relay, for example RI2/1 or R9/4.

It will be understood that the relays RI2, RI I, and RIO each have onlytwo contacts of which the No. 2 contacts are normally open holdingcontacts and the No. 1- contacts are in circuit with certain contacts ofthe relays RI to R9, and their normal positions are as shown in Fig. 9.On relays RI to R9 all the contacts are normally open and the No. 5contacts are holding contacts.

The circuit is supplied with current from source 63, Fig. 9, and a cam64, Figs. and 9, on cross shaft 56 is operative to release the relaysonce per cycle.

Let it now be assumed that in the column illustrated a sensing pin 50passes through a hole in the No. 1 position, this being the only holepunched in this column of the card. The sensing pin 50 engages itsinsert 46 and so, as the cam 64 is at this time closing the circuit,current passes from source 63 to relay RI thus closing the holdingcontact RI /5 and contact RI /l. This permits current pulses to flow tothe coil 39 for the stylus I I for the column sensed via the characterdetermining disc 26 for the character 1, contact RI /1 and closedcontacts RI2/1, RI I /l, RID/1.

' As a further example let it be assumed that the sensing pins of thecolumn sense two holes in a card, one in the-No. 11 position and theother in the No. 4 position representing, according to the code shown inFig. 9, the character M. The pins 50 engage these inserts 46and, as thecam 64 is closing the circuit, the relays RI I and R4 are energised. Theholding contacts RI I /2 and R4/5 are closed, the contact RII/l isreversed, and contact R4/3 is closed. This permits current pulses toflow to the coil 39 from disc 26 for character M via contacts R4/3, RI I/l, and RIO/1 so that the stylus defines the letter M.

It will be understood, as is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 9,that for each of the thirtynine character defining discs there are twobrushes 32 one of which is connected to a common lead 65, Fig. 9, toearth and from the other there are leads 66 one to each like contact ineach column of relays. Thus, if in two or more card columns there aresensed perforations representative of the same character the disc 26appropriate thereto will simultaneously permit impulses to be sent tothe coils 39 of the styluses I I for each of those columns.

Although in the foregoing description, the character determining dischas been described as provided with electrical contacts around theperiphery thereof, it is to be understood that, if desired, such discsmay be replaced by drums or the like having magnetically imprinted spotsto control the impulses to the coil .39 or, if desired, the characterdetermining disc may be provided with conducting passages capable ofcarrying a very small and low pressure electric current which is passedtowards the electro-magnet through an amplifier which steps up thecurrent to generate an impulse sufiicient to actuate the coil 39.Further, as will be well understood in the art, card sensing means otherthan sensing means such as is herein described may be employed toactuate the relays 62.

The stylus has been described above as a needle-like element definingcharacters on the impression receiving material in co-operation with atransfer medium. It is to be understood, however, that if desired thestylus may be of a form other than that described and may comprise astylus which is provided with marking material so that it makes animpression by direct contact with the impression receiving material.When this form of stylus is employed a transfer medium of the kinddescribed above is not needed. Thus the stylus may comprise a tubehousing a thin wick to which marking fluid is fed, to effect the dottedimpressions on the paper. 7

It will also be understood that although in the embodiment of theinvention described herein with reference to the accompanying drawingsthe select-or means have been described as being operated as the resultof electrical impulses resulting from the sensing of data from astatistical record card, the impulses to the selector means may beinitiated by means other than the sensing of a record card. Thus, forexample, as will be well understood in the art, the impulses to theselector means may be initiated by elements of a punch unit of a summarypunch operated by a tabulating machine or by elements of a resultindicating unit of a multiplying machine.

We claim:

1. For defining characters on impression receiving material, e. g.paper, apparatus comprising in combination a platen, a stylus mountedfor axial movement towards and away from the platen, a reciprocatingmember engaging the stylus to reciprocate the marking end thereoi i'ngmaterial between the platen and the stylus at 'a constant linear -speedwhich determines the 'liei"ght'of a characterto be defined bythe'stylus, and selector means to" determine which I character determiningelement is conditioned to-contr'o "the oper'a'tion" of said actuatingmeans.

' 2; Fordefining characters on impression re-" "-ceiving material," e.=g. paper, apparatus comprisin in combination aplaten, a stylus mountedfor axial movement towards andaway from the "-platen,--a'reciprocatingmember engaging the "stylus to reciprocate themarking'end thereof length-wise of the platen in a straight line path -the-"-ieng'th 'ofwhich 1 determines the maximum -widthof acharacter to*bedefined by the stylus,

" a-permanent magnet assembly, a coil-wound dormer fixed to said stylusand slidable' freely in theai'r gapofsaidpermanent magnet assembly, e a'plurality of-character"determining discs, one for each 1 character tobe defined, simultaneously rotatable about an axis common thereto, means--to-- rotate saiddiscs in synchronism with the movementsof saidreciprocating member, electrica l contacts spaced around the eriphery ofeach said-disc to determine theintervals at which electric'al "impulses'are imparted to said coilwound former, selector means includingelectri- -calrelays to determine which character determining discisconditioned to transmit an electrical impulse to said former, a pair ofelectrical brushes engaging the periphery of each said disc, one-brushof each pair being connected to earth and the other to said coil-woundformer through said relays, and feeding means to feed impressionreceiving-"material*between the platen and the stylus at a constantlinear speed which determines-the height of a character to be defined bythe stylus ""3L'For defining characters on impression receivingmaterial, e. g. paper, apparatus 'comprising in combination a platen, astylus mounted toraxial movement towards and away from the platen, areciprocating member engaging the stylus to reciprocate the marking endthereof lengthwise of the platen in a Straight line path the length ofwhich determines the maximum width' 01 a character to be defined by thestylus, actuating means to effect said axial movement of the stylusduring reciprocation thereof by said reciprocating member, a pluralityof character determining elements movable simultaneously and insynchronism with said reciprocating member to control the operation "ofsaid actuating "means and thereby cause saidstylus to make characterdefining marks on impression receiving material fed between the stylusand the platen, feeding'means to feed impressionreceiving materialbetween the platen and thefstylus at a constant linear speed whichdetermines the height of a character to be defined by the stylus,

means to interpose transfer media between,- the a thelength ofwhichdetermines the maximum widthzof aacharacter to "be'defined by thestylus,

actuating meanswto efiectsaid axialmovement of thei'stylus, duringreciprocation thereofaby saidreciprocatingmember a plurality of:character determining elements movable simultaneously and in synchronismwith said reciprocating member- 'to control the operation ofsaidactuating means :and 'thereby cause said stylus-tomake character.deiining'marks on impression receiving ,materialfed between th stylus(and-.the platen, feeding means to feed impressionreceivingmaterial'between the platen and the stylus at a"constant:l1nearspeed which determines the height of a character tobe defined bythe stylus, a 1 marking -ribbon 1 for disposition. between themarkingendof the stylusand impression/receivingmaterial fed by saidfeeding means, said ribbon being movable'insthe .samef'direction as andin timed relation-Withsaid impression receiving material, and selectormeans to determine which character determiningelement is'conditioned tocontrol theoperation of said actuati-ng means.

5. For defining characters on impression receiving material, e..g.paper, apparatus comprisingin combinationa: platen, a stylusmountedfor'axial movement towards and away from the platen, saidstylusconsisting of a needle-like element havinga non-pointed -marking" end, areciprocating member engaging the stylus to reciprocate the 'ma-rkingend thereof lengthwise of :the platen in a-straight line 'pa-th thelength of which determines the maximum width of a character to definedby the stylus; actuatzing means-to efiect saidaxial-movement of thestylus during reciprocationthereof by said re- :ciprocating member, aplurality of character :de-

termining elements movable-simultaneously and in synchronism with-saidreciprocating member to control the operation of-said actuating means"and thereby causezsaid-stylusto makecharacter defining marks onimpression receiving material fed between the stylus and-the platen,feeding means to ieedimpression receivingmaterial between the platenandthe stylus-at a constant linear speed which determines the height of acharacter to bgdefined by thestylus, and selector means to: determine-which character determining element is conditioned to control the:operation of said actuating means.

6.-For definingcharaeterson impression receiving material, e. g, paper;apparatus comprising in'combination-a p1aten,-a stylus mounted "foraxial-movement towards and: away from the platen, said stylus:consistingof -a needle-like element having a non-pointedmarking end, areciprocating member engaging the stylus to reciprocatetheimarking endthereof lengthwise of the platen in a straight line path the length ofit which determinesthe maximum width of a character to be defined bythe-stylus, a permanent magnet assembly; a coil-wound-formerfixed toasses-s2 139 said stylus? and 2. slidable :freely inathe airagap ofsaidpermanent magnet assent-blue pluralityi 'of characterdetermining'rdiscs, iOIlBiOI *each character 'to :be vdefined,simultaneously rotatable about an axis common thereto,.means to rotatesaid discs in synchronism with theumovements ofsaid reciprocatingmembenelectrical contacts spaced around the "periphery o teach saidrdiscto determine the intervals at which =electrical impulses are imparted tosaid coilawcund former, selector meansuincluding electrical :relaystozidetermine which'character determining dlSCuiS conditioned totransmit anelectrical:impulsetosaid former, a pair of electrical brushesengaging the periphery ofeach said disc sonabrushof each pair beingiconn'ectedito .earth-and'ithe other-to said coil-Wound formerthroughsaidfrelays, and feeding means: to feed impression receiving ma terialbetween the platen and the stylus at :a constant linear :speed whichdetermines the height of-a eharactsn-to bedefined bythe stylus.

7. For defining on impression receiving -material, e.' g.;paper,v.characters"eachihavingai maximum :height': and a maximum-vridth, apparatus comprising: at platen, 1 a' stylus supportediforwax-ial movement towards the v; platen, .a reciprocating memberengaging-the stylus tovreciprocate the marking end thereoflengthw-ise ofthe; platen in 2a pathiwhich determinescone. maximum dimension of acharacter to be defined b ths-stylus, feeding means :toiteed impressionreceivingfmaterialbetween. the iplatensxand stylus with a linear speeddeterminingithe otherimaximum.dimensionofthe charactenactuating:meanstcieirect axial movement 1 of the :stylus during reciprocation -.therecfby =the rreciprocating member, :and -:a character defining selement'toperable in synchronism with the 'reciprocatingmember toccntrolfonerationnf thea'ctuatingsmeans.

8. :For defining -on zimpression receiving material, e. *g. gpaper,"characters 'each: having a'maximum-height 1 and :a' maximum width,apparatus comprising a platen, a stylus supported for axial movementtowards the cplaten, va :reciprocating member engaging the stylus'toreciprocate the marking end 'thereof lengthwise of the platen in apathwhich rd'etermines'zone maximum-dimension of a character I to be definedby thew stylus, feeding means to vfeed: impression receiving-material:betweenithe platen'andstylus'with a linear 7 speed determiningthe'other maximum dimension :of :the character, actuating means toeffect said'axialamovement of thesstylusfiduring reciprocation thereof(by the irecipro'cating :member, character defining :elements operablesimultaneously and in synchronism with isai-d reciprocating membertocontrol:operationvof 2the;actuating means, and selectorsmeansto'tselect a'c'haracter defining element'to control the actuatingmeans.

Fordefiningaon"impressionreceiving materiaL-ie. g. :paper, characters"each havingLaa-maximum height and a maximum width, apparatus comprisinga i platen, a stylus supported "for axial movement towards the platenpareciprocating member engaging the stylus "to reciprocate the marking endthereof lengthwise ofi-the platen in a path which determines onemaximum= dimension'of a character'to bedefined by the stylus, feedingmeans torfeed impression receiving material between the :platen andstylus with a linear speed determiningthe otherzmaximumdimension of. the:character, actuating means including :a permanent magnet assembly,havingua coil-wound formerv slidablerfreel-yainl the air :gap oi /saidlassembly -'to efieot-iaxial movement of the stylus duringreciprocation-thereofi'by the reciprocating member, character definingelements operable simultaneouslyand in synchronism with saidreciprocating member to control operation of the actuating means,and'selector means to select a character'deflningelement to control theactuating means.

10. For defining on impression receivingmaterial, e.-g.papen-characterseach havingapredetermined .maximum height and maximumwidth, apparatus comprisinga thin's'teel'stylus supported for axialmovement, a platen towards which *saidistylus isaxially'movable, areciproeating" member engaging the'stylus at a position adjacent to themarking end thereof and'reciproeating said "marking end lengthwise ofthe platen in apath'which determines onemaximum dimension of acharacter, feeding means to'ieed impressiontreceiving material betweentheplaten and stylus with a linenrspeed determining'the other'maximumdimension of the character, =a restraining element co-operating'with'the stylus to restrain against substantial movement, :other thanaxiaLportions of 'the'stylus other'than' the marking end thereof,actuating means to effect saidaxial movement ofthestylusduringreciprocation thereof by thereciprocating member, and acharacter defining element operable in synchronism withthezreciprocatin'g member to: con- ,rol operation of theactuatingmeans.

11. For defining 'on impression receivingmaterial, e; g.paper,characters'eachhaving a'predeterminedmaximumi'height and-maximumwidth, apparatus "comprising -'a 'thin steel stylus supported 'ioraxiatmovement, a platen towards which stylus is axially movable'areciprocating member engagingthe stylus'ata position adjacentto'themarking endth'ere'of and reciprocating said marking end lengthwiseof the platen in a path which" determines one maximum dimension ofacharacter, feeding means 'to' feed impression receiving materialbetween "the platen and stylus with'a linear'speed determining the othermaximum dimension Of'the character, arestraining element cooperatingwith the stylus to restrain'against substantial movement, other thanaxial, portions to the stylus other'than' the'marking end thereof,actuatingmeans to efiect said axial movement of the stylus duringreciprocation thereof by the reciprocating member, character definingelements operable simultaneously and in synchronism withsaidreciprocating member to control operation of the'actuatingmeans,"and selector means to select a character defining element tocontrol the actuating means.

12.For defining on impression receiving material, e. g. papencharacte-rseach'having a predetermined maximum height and maximum width, apparatuscomprising a thin steel stylus supported for axial movement, a platentowards whichsai'd stylus is axially'movable, a reciprocating memberengaging the stylus at'a position adjacent to themarlring end'thereofand reciprocating said marking end lengthwise of the platen in a pathwhich determines-one maximum dimension of a character, feeding meanstofeed impression receiving material between the platen'and styluswith-a linear speed. determining the other maximum dimension ofthecharacter, a restraining element co-operating with thestylus torestrain against substantial movement, other than axial, portions of thestylus other't-han the marking end "thereof, actuating "means includinga permanent magnet assembly havingacoil wound formerslidableiireely inthe air gap of said assembly to effect axial movement of the stylus,during reciprocation thereof by the reciprocating member, characterdefining elements operable simultaneously and in synchronism with saidreciprocating member to control operation of the actuating means, andselector means to select a character defining element to control theactuating means.

13. For defining on impression receiving material, e. g. paper,characters each having a predetermined maximum height and maximum width,apparatus comprising a thin steel stylus supported for axial movement, aplaten towards which said stylus is axially movable, a reciprocatingmember engaging the stylus at a position adjacent to the marking endthereof and reciprocating said marking end lengthwise of the platen in apath which determines one maximum dimension of a character, feedingmeans to feed impression receiving material between the platen andstylus with a linear speed determining the other maximum dimension ofthe character, a restraining element co-operating with the stylus torestrain against substantial movement, other than axial, portions of thestylus other than the marking end thereof, actuating means in cluding apermanent magnet assembly having a coil-wound former slidable freely inthe air gap of said assembly to effect axial movement of the stylusduring reciprocation thereof by the reciprocating member, a plurality ofcharacter determining discs one for each character to be defined,simultaneously rotatable about an axis common thereto, means to rotatesaid discs in synchronism with the movements of said reciprocatingmember, electrical contacts spaced around the periphery of each saiddisc to determine the intervals at which electrical impulses areimparted to said coil-wound former, selector means including electricalelements to determine which character determining disc is conditioned totransmit an electrical impulse to said former, and a pair of electricalbrushes engaging the periphery of each said disc, one brush of each pairbeing connected to earth and the other to said coil-wound former throughsaid electrical elements.

14. For defining on impression receiving material, e. g. paper,characters each having a predetermined maximum height and maximum width,apparatus comprising a thin steel stylus supported for axial movement, aplaten towards which said stylus is axially movable, a reciprocatingmember engaging the stylus at a position adjacent to the marking endthereof and reciprocating said marking end lengthwise of the platen in apath which determines one maximum dimension of a character, feedingmeans to feed impression receiving material between the platen andstylus with a linear speed determining the other maximum dimension ofthe character, means to interpose transfer media between the marking endof the stylus and impression receiving material fed by said feedingmeans, a restraining element co-operating with the stylus to restrainagainst substantial movement, other than axial, portions of the stylusother than the marking end thereof, actuating means to effect said axialmovement of the stylus during reciprocation thereof by the reciprocatingmember, and a character defining element operable in synchronism withthe reciprocating member to control operation of the actuating means. 1

15. For defining on impression receivingmaterial, e. g. paper,characters each having a pre-' determined maximum height and maximumwidth, apparatus comprising a thin steel stylus supported for axialmovement, a platen towards which said stylus is axially movable, areciprocating member engaging the stylus at a position adjacent to themarking end thereof and recipro cating said marking and lengthwise ofthe platen in a path which determines one maximum dimension of acharacter, feeding means to feed impression receiving material betweenthe platen and stylus with a linear speed determining the other maximumdimension of the character, means to interpose transfer media betweenthe marking end of the stylus and impression receiving material fed bysaid feeding means, a restraining element co-operating with the stylusto restrain against substantial movement, other than axial, portions ofthe stylus other than the marking end thereof, actuating means includinga permanent magnet assembly having a. coilwound former slidable freelyin the air gap of said assembly to effect axial movement of the stylusduring reciprocation thereof by the reciprocating member, characterdefining elements operable simultaneously and in synchronism with saidreciprocating member to control operation of the actuating means, andselector means to select a character defining element to control theactuating means.

16. For definding on impression receiving material, e. g. paper,characters each having a pre determined maximum height and maximumwidth, apparatus comprising a thin steel stylus supported for axialmovement, a platen towards which said stylus is axially movable, areciprocating member engaging the stylus at a position adjacent to themarking end thereof and reciprocating said marking end lengthwise of theplaten in a path which determines one maximum dimension of a character,feeding means to feed impression receiving material between the platenand stylus with a linear speed determining the other maximum dimensionof the character, a marking ribbon disposed between the marking end ofthe stylus and impression receiving material fed by said feed means andmovable in the same direction as and in timed relation with theimpression receiving material, a restraining element cooperating withthe stylus to restrain against substantial movement, other than axial,portions of the stylus other than the marking end thereof, actuatingmeans to eifect said axial movement of the stylus during reciprocationthereof by the reciprocating member, and a character defining elementoperable in synchronism with the reciprocating member to controloperation of the actuating means.

17. For defining on impression receiving material, e. g. paper,characters each having a predetermined maximum height and maximum width,apparatus comprising a thin steel stylus supported for axial movement, aplaten towards which said stylus is axially movable, a reciprocatingmember engaging the stylus at a position adjacent to the marking endthereof and reciprocating said marking end lengthwise of the platen in apath which determines one maximum dimension of a character, feedingmeans to feed impression receiving material between the platen andstylus with a linear speed determining the other maximum dimension ofthe character, a marking ribbon disposed between the marking end of thestylus and impression receiving material fed by said feeding means andmovablelin actuating means, and selector means to select a characterdefining element to control the actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,064,805 Wood June 17, 1913 2,264,615 Bryce Dec. 2, 19412,461,412 Dickinson Feb. 8, 1949 2,575,017 Hunt Nov. '13, 1951

